Help me with my lighting choices?

[reefvilla]

Ok... The setup.

Have a customer with a 30g saltwater tank and she asked me to come test the water because she didn't think it was right. After going to her house, I figured out pretty quick the Whole thing wasn't right. (salinity .019, Nitrates above 250, Alk is Sky high...etc)
Now, she is buying a used 50g (36"x18"x20")tank and stand from me and I am building a canopy to match the stand. I'm trying to figure out what she needs for lighting or what she can get for $150'ish. Right now and for the past year, she has had a 17 watt standard Fluorescent bulb for lighting. She has live rock, 3 fish and a few polyps and I'm sure once she gets a better tank she will be adding some more soft corals.

I found this and I'm wondering if it will be enough light for basic corals in that tank?
http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaticLi...FIT54U-vi.html
I know she really needs more but I'm working on a budget to build the canopy And light it up as much as I can for the least amount.

Got any links to low cost lighting or Retro kits?

[greech]

I'm sure that would be fine for shrooms, etc. but if you think she is going to want more corals, she should just keep the light she has for now and get something later that will allow her some flexibility down the road.

Something like a Sundial?: http://www.petmountain.com/product/a...-actinic-.html

Or maybe just a 4 bulb nova extreme which only $100 more that what you're looking at now in a 36" fixture.

I know I would appreciate knowing the options/limitations as a "customer" so I didn't have to buy something twice.

[reefvilla]

Originally Posted by greech

I'm sure that would be fine for shrooms, etc. but if you think she is going to want more corals, she should just keep the light she has for now and get something later that will allow her some flexibility down the road.

Something like a Sundial?: http://www.petmountain.com/product/a...-actinic-.html

Or maybe just a 4 bulb nova extreme which only $100 more that what you're looking at now in a 36" fixture.

I know I would appreciate knowing the options/limitations as a "customer" so I didn't have to buy something twice.

She's an auto glass customer and saw my tank so we talked, I'm just trying to help her.
I showed her a 4 bulb fixture in Fosters for $209 and she was like
I explained to her what it takes and all that but you know how that goes.
Right now she said she wants better lighting but really doesn't want to splurge on a 4 bulb light. Getting her up to a max of $150 was Very hard.
She seemed happy with what she had which is basically nothing....rocks looked like they have never seen light and the fish just hid behind the rocks, sad.